SC frowns on reversing trial court acquittals

Unless the rulings are palpably wrong, interference by appellate court not justified

The Supreme Court has cautioned High Courts against reversing the acquittal of an accused by the trial court unless the judgment was palpably wrong. A Bench of Justices R.M. Lodha and Shiva Kirti Singh said, “Interference by the appellate court with the judgment of acquittal is not justified, unless the conclusions reached by the trial court are palpably wrong or based on erroneous view of the law or if such conclusions are allowed to stand, they are likely to result in grave injustice.”

Justice Lodha said, “Merely because the appellate court on re-appreciation and re-evaluation of evidence is inclined to take a different view, interference with the judgment of acquittal is not justified. ”